Since 1959, this member of the Cancer and Acute Leukemia Group B (CALGB) has collaborated with the other institutional members of the group in the development and implementation of multidisciplinary approaches to new, more effective treatment for cancer and hematological malignancy. Our studies use the most advanced knowledge regarding pre-treatment planning and clinical and pathologic staging to determine biologically similar patient populations for these comparative clinical trials. In many respects, the development of our operation center has paralleled the development of CALGB; the multidisciplinary approach has expanded beyond its original emphasis on chemotherapy to include not only the surgical and radiotherapeutic disciplines but also other modalities that may affect the survival of the cancer patient. In the light of recent data regarding personality factors in patient response as well as the effect of economic status on patient compliance with recommended therapeutic regimen, our multidisciplinary approach now includes the participation of the psychiatric and social service modalities. Consistent with our approach to the patient as a whole rather than to the cancer site in isolation, our studies lay particular stress on predictive testing both in vivo (staging) and in vitro, to determine the most effective therapy and lowest toxicity for a given patient population. The education of medical and paramedical personnel in investigational techniques, which has been a focus of this program for many years, will be expanded and formalized into a comprehensive educational program in clinical trial methodology.